International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

Oct 17, 2012

Villagers in Molia, Niger tend a community run garden that feeds 100 families. Credit: David Ohana/ OCHA.

Extreme poverty destroys the lives and spirit of people; it kills more children, young persons, and adults than any war. Every day, people living in extreme poverty are challenged and threatened by lack of food, shelter and access to essential services.

Recognizing that poverty is violence, the 2012 International Day for the Eradication of Poverty focuses on "Ending the violence of Extreme Poverty: Promoting empowerment and building peace".

Despite contributing significantly to the cultural identity of the diverse ethnic groups and nations that call the high mountain regions their home, the number of snow leopards is rapidly dwindling. In the 12 countries where they are currently found there are only an estimated 4,000 snow leopards left.

Initiative financed by the European Union strengthens the cooperation between civil society organizations and local authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina to respond to the local needs such as women's unemployment.

Though scarred and decimated by the horrific 1994 genocide, Rwanda today is an example of how rapid post-war reconstruction can create new economic opportunities. But Rwanda’s main industry exporting commodities like coffee, tea, tin, and wolframite, cannot sustain the phenomenal surge in the country’s population — youth under 35 years old account for nearly 40% of the overall population.

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Message from Helen Clark

Helen Clark:

"Today, we do have reason to celebrate the progress made to eradicate extreme poverty, but we must continue to work together on its eradication. I hope that the global development agenda beyond 2015 will reflect this level of ambition."